Top Trekking Routes Around the World

December 04, 2012

If thrill is what you desire and exploring new landscapes is what excites you, then guys you really need to get going on a trek in search of destinations that would leave you exhausted and satisfied at the same time. Here is a list of some of the top trekking routes around the world. All you need is a backpack, good shoes and a lot of spunk and resilience to embark on these difficult and trying trails!

To begin with Mt Toubkal, locally also known as Jebel Toubkal, in Morocco, stands at 4167m above sea level and guarantees breathtaking views of the High Atlas Mountains. This trekking trip in Morocco would take you through astounding scenery on definite pathways and is, unpredictably, not too arduous, making it all the more alluring as a trek site. As you climb higher the stretch becomes steeper and rough in places, but all that is worth the final sight of Marrakech, the Anti-Atlas Mountains and rows of sharp granite peaks along with the far-flung villages and terraced fields apprising the trekkers with the lives of the resilient and welcoming Berber people.

Our very own neighbor Mount Everest, which stands tall at a whooping height of 8848m above the sea level, is indeed every trekker’s golden dream! Usually a trek to Everest starts from the footsteps of this great mountain range passing through Sherpa realm; along with cultivated fields and small rural communities. Crossing the Dudh Kosi and then a climb of the Namche Bazaar is surely enough to give you a taste of what awaits you up there. The beauty once you reach up, and indeed along the way, is beyond description. I guarantee, it definitely gives one a view of what beauty really can be! Khumbu Glacier and Kala Pattar (5545m) too offer an awe-inspiring vision of the highest mountain on Earth.

Not to miss the Snowman Trek in Bhutan is one of the must travel destinations for trekking. However it is said that to enjoy the trek to the fullest one should carve out at least a month out of their busy schedules including some days for rests. The beauty is unparalleled and the landscape is pristine with rhododendron forests and mountains in the backdrop plus an opportunity to visit the neighboring hamlets and serene Buddhist monasteries make the trek all the more memorable.

Then if we move towards the Pacific, the Milford Track in New Zealand is also considered as one of the best havens for hikers. The outstanding mountains and fjord scenery that this 53 kilometers track offers makes it New Zealand’s most popular treks, taking on an average four days to complete. Crossing temperate rain forests and groves of beech trees during this trek further adds charm to it, thus if you are thinking to go there, then do get your bookings well in advance as the trek is highly regulated and the huts fill sooner than you can think.

Not to leave, Chilkoot Trail in Alaska and British Columbia is definitely a destination worth exploring. The Chilkoot Trail starts on the tidewaters in Alaska and then climbs up and over the mountains in British Columbia, offering a unique and amazing backpacking opportunity, as this is a path which is both rich with historical facts and natural splendor. It was used as the main trail during the celebrated Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1800's, when a global throng of literally thousands of people, charged by the visions of riches and wealth, walked the Chilkoot Trail to get the gold in the Yukon. Most of them are believed to have suffered implausible adversity along the way, many are even believed to have never made it to the place and only a handful got rich, but looks like gold’s glaze was radiant enough to lure the people! Today, if one embarks on this trail, you are sure to find a plethora of historical souvenirs from that momentous journey, coupled with extraordinary panorama, striking campsites and an international boundary on the top of the pass.

One of the most startling trekking areas in Patagonia is the Paine Circuit in Chile and Torres del Paine is situated in the southern Chile offering a 5-10 days wonderful hiking experience which would take you through towering granite peaks, clear lakes, astounding glaciers and mystifying forests. Also, the place possesses the UNESCO world heritage status due to its matchless landscape and flora and fauna. The area is recognized for its ferocious winds with a speed of over 100 mph and vague weather, making the area fit for hiking etc from October to April only and that too during the long hours of daylight only.

For Europeans though, a lot of beautiful treks are available at their disposal (You can truly envy them on that for sure).Tour of Mont Blanc in France, Italy and Switzerland is one of the best dreams come true for anyone who loves to experience the ruggedness of the mountains to soothe their souls. The hiker’s tour of Mont Blanc is indeed a 168 kilometer loop tour around the foot of Mount Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe at 4810m feet. Hikers typically commence from just outside of Chamonix (France), if they’re mountaineering in the conventional counter clockwise direction or if they begin in Champex (in Switzerland), then you can probably take the clockwise direction for the same. However, no matter which direction you begin with, you get a marvelous opportunity to trek through three countries – France, Italy and Switzerland, and this ideally takes 9-10 days.

The Alta Via 2 in Italy is a breathtaking experience that takes a trekker through the dazzling vista of the Italian Dolomites and starts from the south of the Austrian border. Indeed the trek is of 75 kilometers on an average taking 6-8 days. The trek is full with loads of exposures, like to slices of life from ferrata -the road with irons, and even provisions are available for residing in the mountain huts rather than camping with food articles being available all along the way.

The GR20 in Corsica is arguably the toughest trek in Europe. Not for the weak-hearted, this trek requires a fair amount of training before one sets out to hike for fifteen days, climbing up to nineteen thousand meters. The route is arduous and one has to be physically in very fit condition to hike 6 hours a day over boulders and steep trails that can hardly be called a path. Not many complete the trek, but the reward at the end of the15 day trek is certainly worth it
Time your trek to take place either in June or September as the weather is treacherously cold in the winter and swelteringly hot in summer.

To end this list, I would like to mention one of the most picturesque and demanding treks in Western Africa. Pays Dogon, Mali, or ‘The land of the Dogon people’ is honestly one of Africa’s most incredible regions. A trek here can last somewhere between 2-10 days but the time is worth every minute of excitement it offers, taking the hikers through soaring peaks of the Bandiagara escarpment inlaid with the old deserted cliff abodes. Dogon villages surround the cliffs and are a bizarre yet eye-catching attraction of the trip. The Dogons are branded for their veiled stilt dancers, embellished engraved doors and pueblo-like residences made into the side of the escarpment.